I agree that this manifestation of the Glass BeadGame may be a bit 'sterile,' and that Knecht himselfwished to add a little more life, a little more riskinto the game. Up the ante. In this situation,however, we have no refined order to the game (asthe Castalians did); we are in the process of shapingthe rules of the game.

If a person who has never played a saxophone picksone up, squeaks a few sour notes, and claims to be "avant-garde" he or she will not be taken seriously(or tolerated in the spirit of game either, most likely). Ornette Coleman, on the other hand, or Rashaan Roland Kirk, could play outside because theyknew how to play inside. The changes just didn't hold their interest. For us to break the rules without knowing them first is a detriment to the game.And while the rules of the B G B are in constant evolution,a game is not a game without rules to play by.